'It's clearly clicked now.' How Dante Maddox Jr. went from bench to breakout for Xavier (2025)

For the first time since the Crosstown Shootout loss, Xavier head coach Sean Miller was alongside a player at the postgame podium Feb. 12 following the Musketeers' 91-82 road win over Providence.

It was fitting that Miller sat next to Dante Maddox Jr., two men raised by successful high school basketball coaches who have collectively found a way to unleash Maddox's talent to the college basketball world.

Maddox tied a career-high with 26 points and six 3-pointers against Providence. It was his second-straight 20-point performance after pouring in 24 in a loss to Villanova that landed him on the Big East Honor Roll.

The sight of Maddox being the player at the podium would've seemed like fan fiction a few months ago.

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"It hadn't really clicked until some point in late-January and certainly the entire month of February," Miller said of Maddox. "It's clearly clicked now."

Tabbed as a veteran guard and stellar shooter out of the transfer portal, Maddox didn't find instant success at Xavier in a new era of college basketball where patience is scarce.

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"You want things to be seamless. You want success right away," Miller said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't always work like that. He's one of the hardest-working players I've coached. He loves the game. He puts in time every single day. He's had great moments for us."

In the non-conference, Maddox seemed like a guard whose skills wouldn't translate to the Big East after lighting up the MAC at Toledo. Maddox combined for just 33 points over the first eight games. He was 10-of-35 from the field and 6-of-22 from three-point range.

"There were plenty of games in November and December where you wouldn't have felt the same way about Dante as a player," Miller said. "He's always had it in there. He needed to get more comfortable. We needed to do a better job coaching him. It's all really come together."

'I've continued to fight through the adversity.'

Xavier survived a scare from South Carolina State in a 71-68 win at Cintas Center Dec. 1. Maddox played just two possessions − he permitted a 3-pointer on defense and traveled on the offensive end. He was subbed out and didn't return.

Four days later, there were signs of life as Maddox drilled three triples in a loss to TCU in Fort Worth.

Maddox certainly took the long road and there's light at the end of the tunnel for a talented guard who rode the highs and lows into a breakout when Xavier needed it most.

"One thing I've tried my hardest to do is to stay with that process. No matter good or bad, you try to be process-driven and not results-driven," Maddox said. "If I was results-driven, then I would've stopped a long time ago. I'm happy that I've continued to fight through the adversity and I'm excited for the moments to come."

Miller added: "I know he's had some moments where he's probably second guessed everything. He has fought through. He has stayed with it. He has continued to practice," Miller said. "It's fun to watch a guy climb through this and come out on the other side and be at his best in this pivotal time."

How Dante Maddox makes Xavier dangerous down the road

Maddox can wreck a game with his elite shot-making ability. Against Providence, Xavier trailed by 11 early before Maddox checked in and ripped off five consecutive points to jump-start Xavier's offense. With Providence leading 23-16, Maddox knocked down a triple to fuel a 22-0 run.

"His (Maddox) shot-making (vs. Providence) gave us a lead we were unable to relinquish, regardless of how poorly we played from that point on," Miller said. "He was just incredible."

Good things come to those who trust the process and keep putting in the work. Maddox could always fill it up, but he had to excel at the little things to take advantage of his playing time − finding open spots in transition, sprinting down the court, better effort on defense, moving without the ball. Over time, players reap the rewards from high-energy plays.

"I've gotten better with some of those things. I think the opportunities have presented themselves more," Maddox said.

But Maddox's impact goes beyond the contested triples he knocks down that leave opposing coaches stunned. In Xavier's win over DePaul, Maddox finished with just one point but grabbed five rebounds to help Xavier win the battle on the boards.

In Tuesday's win over Butler, Maddox checked in with 13:33 left in the first half and Xavier leading, 15-14. In just 3:23, Maddox had eight points and Xavier led, 29-21. When he checked out at the 7:23 mark, Xavier's advantage had ballooned to 36-21. Xavier outscored Butler, 21-7, in the 6:10 with Maddox on the floor.

Though he didn't score again, Maddox made another impact on the glass with a team-high eight rebounds in just 15 minutes to go with a pair of steals.

"Dante has really settled into being a good player for us," Miller said.

After the loss of Trey Green, Xavier was a good three-point shooting team headlined by the efforts of Indiana State transfer Ryan Conwell. Maddox entered the fold with a 22-point explosion in a near-upset of then-No. 11 UConn in Hartford.

There were always struggles with consistency, but a corner may have been turned with Maddox averaging 15 points over a five-game stretch where he found the stroke developed from shooting 1,000 shots a day at Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, where his dad was the coach.

If Maddox can provide stability off the bench with constant production, Xavier's offense is even more lethal and can help push the Musketeers over the finish line in some decisive games over the final month of the season.